Father Soc celebrates Mass for Forgiveness of Sins in Binday

13 October 2011 – Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan. There was a festive atmosphere filled with joyful songs the last time Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, celebrated mass with the people of Binday. During that time, Father Soc blessed the chapel rebuilt by the people after it was destroyed by a typhoon. The chapel was blessed in December 2009.

Today, the people of Binday were once again with Father Soc in a celebration of the Eucharist. But in a different situation. The mass was celebrated at the river bank where three abandoned houses were located, and  five other houses used to stand. Rampaging waters swept the houses during the height of Typhoon Minda last August.

The families who had lost their homes during the last Typhoon had been living in tents provided by the Rotary Club of San Fabian.

Mass for Forgiveness of Sins

The people celebrated today a Mass for Forgiveness of Sins. In his homily, Archbishop Soc reminded the people about their responsibility in caring for nature. He told them that the mountains, the rivers and the trees were all created by God before man was created.

“They are then our older siblings,” he said. “We should respect and care for them. They are our best friends forever. On the other hand, we should remain also their friends forever.”
He reminded the people again that instead of remaining best friend to nature, we have destroyed and raped her. The Archbishop then led the people in asking for forgiveness for the sins of destroying God’s creation, and moving them to a change of heart: to care and nourish creation.

NIA Position Against Quarry Operations

Regional Irrigation Manager John N. Celeste attended the Mass. The Region I National Irrigation Administration (NIA) was very categorical in its position that the  unregulated and unsystematic quarrying operations were a major factor in the destruction of the Bued River System. Barangay Binday which has received the brunt of nature’s destructive forces is located along the Bued River.

On 11 October 2011, the Regional Office No. 1 of the National Irrigation Administration stated their formal position on the effect of quarrying along the Bued River downstream of San Fabian Dam. The paper states that “to stop further the lowering of riverbed, no quarrying is allowed downstream of the dam. This is to allow the river to negate the effect of retrogression and extensive quarrying i.e., to replenish the extracted materials downstream of the dam p to the mouth of the river until such time that a gentler and stable slope shall have been attained.”

This position is contrary to the position of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) In a statement made in a local TV station, MGB said that  the quarrying done in Bued River System is not a factor in its present condition and in the erosion of its river banks, including the houses that were washed away.

“Bless those who bless You; curse those who curse You”

With right hands stretched out over Bued River, Archbishop Soc led the people in prayer. “Bless those who bless the river, curse those who destroy it,” he prayed. 

Prayer of Commitment

Police Inspector Amor Somine led the people in praying the Prayer of Commitment. “Our world’s picture is reflected in our little corner in Pangasinan and particularly in our Bued River System. Today, we commit ourselves personally and as a community, to contribute our energies and resources towards its healing by preserving what is left of its beauty and goodness and restoring the beauty, freshness and goodness that have been destroyed."

NIA’S POSITION ON THE EFFECT OF QUARRYING ALONG THE BUED RIVER DOWNSTREAM OF SAN FABIAN DAM

Republika ng Pilipinas

Department of Agriculture

Pambansang Pangasiwaan ng Patubig

(National Irrigation Administration)

Regional Office No. 1

October 11, 2011

NIA’S POSITION ON THE EFFECT OF QUARRYING ALONG THE BUED RIVER DOWNSTREAM OF SAN FABIAN DAM.

Strongly supported by NIA’S more than forty years of invaluable experience in the operation of the San Fabian Irrigation System and considering the historical facts of the Bued River and backed by our technical assessment of the various phenomena that took place in the area and its effect on the San Fabian diversion dam, the Regional Manager and Staff of the National Irrigation Administration firmly believe and state that:

a. The lowering of the riverbed is the main reason for the damage and collapse of the old diversion dam. This is perceptible by examining the old and latest design of the dam whereby the downstream apron is typically set at riverbed elevation or lower. In the original design of the dam, the downstream elevation was then at 51.00 but needs to be lowered to 47.5 or 3.50 Meter below for stability and hydraulic considerations in the 2009 dam design.

b. The lowering of the riverbed is greatly affecting the delivery and application of diverted water for irrigation because of deep percolation due to a much lower water table. This is manifested by the diminishing irrigated area from 2,765 has. In the 1970’ s to a mere 1,144 has. even during the wet crop season since 1994 to present.

c. The more than 4.5 meters difference of elevation from the downstream apron to about One (1) kilometer of the Bued river near the quarry site is causing the slope of the river to become steeper thus increasing the velocity of flood water. Stronger current carries more sediments and scouring the embankment and nearby farmlands as they are made of finer and erodible materials.

d. The existence of sandbar in the middle of the river is causing the shifting of fiercer water current towards the western embankment thus the erosion of farmlands and houses at the same time scouring the riverbed.

e. To stop further the lowering of riverbed no quarrying is allowed downstream of the dam. This is to allow the river to negate the effect of retrogression and extensive quarrying, i.e., to replenish the extracted materials downstream of the dam up to the mouth of the river until such time that more gentle and more stable slope shall have been attained.

f. Quarrying if approved by all concerned agencies shall have limitations as to depth, width area and location of quarry site as it will ultimately determine the shift and direction of flow at various stages of river discharges which at present should preferably be at the upstream of the dam.

Submitted by:

Gerardo C. Oculto, Principal Engineer C

Frida L. Nidoy, Operation Chief, SFDRIS

Helsy S. Bermudez, Manager, Pangasinan IMO

Dolores C. Nicer, Chief, Planning and Design Section

John N. Celeste, Regional Manager

MANIFESTO

11 September 2011 – San Fabian, Pangasinan.

The concerned citizens of the municipality of San Fabian, Pangasinan respectfully request your most precious attention and consideration in the midst of a pressing issue and concern we are facing.

QUARRYING has been going on for so long in the “Bued” River System both upstream and downstream of the San Fabian River Irrigation System (SFRIS). What concerns us most is the massive and unregulated quarry operation in the downstream areas opposite barangays Anonang in the municipality of San Fabian and in Barangay Macayug in the municipality of San Jacinto. Massive because all sorts of river materials are extracted from the river system.

As a matter of policy, the Bureau of Mines and Geosciences (MGB) had set that only a meter depth of river materials be extracted every year in the river system. This was not observed though by the permittees in the absence of sound monitoring system that should be done by both the LGUs concerned and the agency mandated to do it.

The river flow then is more or less moderate owing to the gradual slope from the point below the SFRIS Dam to the lower stream areas earlier mentioned. To date however, the slope changed significantly in that the moderate river flow has turned into rapids.

The tremendous water current from floodwaters carries with it downwards all kind of river materials and scouring everything along its path. The river system that used to be very shallow parts below the dam many prior the year 2000 from 3 – 4 meters in depth has now become 7 – 9 meters deep. While there is 1 kilometer buffer zone up and downstream of the SFRIS Dam, the strong water current during typhoons scouring the river downwards will eventually put the stability of the dam structure in danger and scouring the riverbanks in its wake.

Very grave results followed, to wit;

1. Scouring of about 50 hectares and 26 houses:

Over several decades more or less 50 hectares of agricultural and residential lots were scoured. During typhoon “Pepeng” in 2009, an estimated 5 hectares of palay and 21 houses were scoured. Floodwaters of Typhoon “Mina”( August 2011) five houses and about 1 and a half hectare of palay are scoured, and 4 houses are dangerously hanging on in the gorge-like riverbank.

2. Five hundred (500 m) of irrigation canal destroyed/scoured:

About 500 meters of concrete lined main irrigation canal of the National Irrigation Administration (lateral AF) was scoured in 2009, the waters of typhoon “Mina”(2011) destroyed the improvised irrigation canal serving as replacement of the concrete lined irrigation canal destroyed by typhoon “Pepeng. This is where irrigation water flows for irrigating portions of Barangay Binday and Aramal and whole of Barangays Anonang, Angio and Cabaruan. The aggregate total of agricultural areas irrigated by the said canal in the mentioned areas is about 1,000 hectares.

3. Significant destruction of the soil profile in the riverbed:

The undisturbed soil profile serves to prevent water loss through percolation. Farms with intact soil profile requires much lesser irrigation water. The quarrying which had destroyed the soil profile resulted to porous subsoil which require much more than normal amount of water. Water loss through percolation is so much under this condition. The clamor of farmers Anonang near the boundary with Macayug is that they are spending so much on irrigation on their shallow tubewell irrigation (STW/water pumps) and the cost is unbearable. According to them, underground water last until lean months of every year or during the months of February to March. With the soil profile in the Bued Riverbed already altered, underground water can hardly last until December. The water table had been so deep making it difficult for pumping water for irrigation.

All of these tragic incidents happening one after another is a traumatic experience to all those affected, homes lost and farm and residential lots wiped-out as well. Farmers experiencing too much difficulty in pumping underground water.

What more shall poor farmers, residents, and other sectors experience in the future without giving them social justice they entitled of.

On the basis of all of these, the undersigned stakeholders appeal for your consideration that quarrying be temporarily stopped immediately in the “Bued” River System on the downstream of the SFRIS Dam to avoid further destruction in the vicinity of the location.

Looking forward to your favorable action.

Yours truly,

(The Manifesto will be sent to the Office of the Municipal Mayor, Sangguniang Bayan of San Fabian,  Office of the Governor of Pangasinan, the Office of the Secretary of DENR, the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines)

Save Bued River! Save Binday!

4 June 2010 – Binday, San Fabian, Pangasinan. Residents of Brgys. Binday, Anonang, their supporters and sympathizers staged a Rally near the Binday Dam to manifest their concern with regard to the on-going rehabilitation project being undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

During last year’ onslaught of Typhoon Pepeng, a greater portion of Binday, notably Sitio Binday South, was destroyed by rushing flood waters. Twenty-One houses were destroyed, and more than 5 hectares of farmland were eroded and destroyed during that calamity.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) was one with the protesting residents in asking the Department of Public Works and Highway to present a comprehensive plan in the construction of the flood control dike along Bued River. The Social Action Apostolate of the parish through Bro. Antonio Supremido, the ASAP Parish Coordinator, has been coordinating closely with the residents and officials concerned regarding the said action of the residents.

The residents of Brgys. Binday and Anonang were worried that the construction of the said flood control dike located at the downstream of the Binday Dam could  easily be destroyed by the strong waters rushing coming from the upstream of Bued river.

Engr. Renato Milan, the Provincial Administrator of the National Irrigation Administration, said that the residents do not want a repeat of the disaster that happened to them which destroyed their houses and the irrigation canals resulting in less harvest for them.

Mr. Juan Juguilon, Jr., the Municipal Agriculturist, expressed his apprehension that failure to properly rehabilitate the Bued River will result once again in the destruction of the Binday Dam.

The concerned officials of the Barangays Binday and Anonang and the municipality of San Fabian as well as the affected residents are demanding that they be consulted in the rehabilitation project as they know more about the “life” of Bued River.

A mass was celebrated by Fr. Oliver E. Mendoza, the parish priest, near the Binday Dam, before the Rally was held.

To see more pictures of the Rally, kindly click HERE.